


Piano for Two

by StarllingWrites



Series: Monster Tales [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Music, Parallel Universes, Prompt Response, Time Travel, magical instruments, past and future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 19:46:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20784113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarllingWrites/pseuds/StarllingWrites
Summary: The piano sat locked unplayed for decades. When the park was abandoned, the piano fell into disrepair. Despite the decay, you loved the old park. One day you decide to test the piano. It was in a terrible state and out of tune; still, you sat down and started playing. Unbeknownst to you, in a time long gone, the piano started playing on its own.





	Piano for Two

**Author's Note:**

> Based off the following [abridged] prompt from the tumblr user [write-it-motherf*ckers](https://write-it-motherfuckers.tumblr.com/post/183437843849/everyday-on-your-way-home-from-work-you-would):
> 
> Everyday on your way home from work, you would pass through one of the local parks. The park itself wasn’t a particularly popular one, having been mostly cast aside in favour of the more orderly parks with their modern pathways, playgrounds, and benches. This old park didn’t seem to have been updated since it was first created.  
Sitting under what was left of the decaying roof, was a rather old piano. You could see that it would have once been a thing of beauty, all intricate wooden designs and gleaming keys, but these days, the piano was in a much sadder state.   
Much to your surprise and delight, many of the keys actually seemed to work, even if their sound was completely off. A small grin spread over your cheeks as you began to play one of your favourite songs, fingers dancing over the broken keys as the most bizarre melody echoed from within.  
You were so caught up with the ridiculously bad tune that resulted from your play, that it took you quite a while to realise that someone was playing along with you, the sound echoing through the trees in a haunting and equally broken tune, though the source was nowhere in sight.

When the piano started playing, everyone in the park stopped. At first, everyone thought that someone must be playing music over a speaker but no—the sound was unmistakably from the piano on the bandstand. The piano that had been locked for the past forty-some years.

When it was first donated to the park, it was common for people to come up and play it when there wasn’t a performance going on. Within ten years, the key to the fallboard was lost. But no matter how many professionals came to try and help, no one could unlock it—without damaging it, which no one wanted. So it sat alone, back in the corner of the stage, untouched except for cleaning.

You had been sitting on the edge of the stage chatting with your friends. You had the clearest view and nothing explained why it was suddenly making noise. It also wasn’t discordant like an animal had gotten inside it somehow. Exchanging glances with your friends, you got up and walked over to investigate.

Music rose sweetly from the instrument. You ran your fingers over the lid and imagined playing it. Then you got the inkling to test the lid. The piano was playing on its own, so maybe it somehow unlocked. You lifted the fallboard effortlessly. It was surreal to see the keys moving on their own, played by some phantom. It made you shiver. You sat down on the bench and poised your fingers over the keys. You knew the song that was playing. Counting the music to find the right measure, you started playing along.

A crowd gathered in front of the stage. For most, it was their first time hearing the instrument being played; but with a glance, you caught a few seniors clearly lost in nostalgia’s warmth. Maybe some of them had once played this very piano before it was locked.

The song carried on for a minute more before you were the only one playing now. You improvised an ending to the song since your accompaniment wasn’t as lovely on its own. The crowd applauded and cheered. Their roar made you blush. When had so many people shown up? There hadn’t been _this_ many people in the park.

As the fanfare faded, you thought of a new song to play. You weren’t sure if the phantom pianist would play again. On the chance they might, you picked out a common song and began playing. A few random musicians hopped up on stage and began playing along. Your impromptu band was causing quite a buzz.

Within a few minutes, an accompaniment rose from the piano. Seems the phantom delighted in playing together. From then on, you’d take turns starting songs the other could join. Some of the other musicians were able to improvise their way through the songs; others left the stage to simply enjoy the festivities.

This went on for around an hour. Then the mysterious other pianist started playing _So Long Farewell_ from The Sound of Music. They only played a quick little part before stopping. Seems as though they were done for the day. You played the same part back to them, then shut the fallboard. Hopefully you’d play again another day.


End file.
